China has tightened stock-market regulation as authorities seek to curb excessive speculation and engineer a more sustainable rally. The China Securities Regulatory Commission said it wants to prevent sharp market swings after turnover and margin financing surged to new highs in January. Chinese exchanges will raise the minimum margin requirement for new margin-financing borrowings to 100% from 80% from Jan 19, a move approved by the watchdog and aimed at reducing leverage in

Hong Kong is accelerating plans to build a Hong Kong gold central clearing system and aims to launch a pilot this year, Financial Secretary Paul Chan said. Chan said demand to diversify away from U.S. dollar assets has lifted gold’s role as a reserve and hedge. Spot trading on the Hong Kong Gold Exchange more than doubled year on year to HKD2.9bn (USD372m) a day by November 2025, but many deals still settle bilaterally over the counter, creating inefficiencies, he said. At th

China Q4 GDP growth slowed to a three-year low as domestic demand weakened, even as the full-year pace met Beijing’s target, official data showed. Gross domestic product grew 4.5% in October–December from a year earlier, easing from 4.8% in the third quarter, while 2025 growth came in at 5.0%, the National Bureau of Statistics said. A record trade surplus and firmer industrial output underscored exporters’ resilience, but consumption and investment remained soft amid a prolon

A billionaire wealth surge drove global fortunes up 16% in 2025 to a record USD18.3tr, widening economic and political divides, anti-poverty group Oxfam said as the World Economic Forum opened in Davos. Oxfam said billionaire wealth rose at three times its recent pace last year, extending an 81% gain since 2020, even as one in four people struggle to eat regularly and nearly half the world lives in poverty. The group said billionaires are 4,000 times more likely than ordinary

HKU urged Hong Kong to reposition itself as a “super value-adder” by deepening integration with mainland industry while expanding overseas networks, according to its 2026 economic policy green paper. HKU dean Cai Hongbin said the city must better understand mainland strategic priorities and support Chinese firms expanding abroad, while strengthening higher education to attract global talent. Economist Tang Hei-wai said geopolitical shifts are opening opportunities in regions

Asia loan bankers are bracing for tougher competition and thinner margins as subdued deal flow and stronger borrower bargaining power reshape the lending landscape. Bloomberg data show G3 loan volumes in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan fell 6.7% in 2025 to a two-year low of USD189bn, as tariff uncertainty and elevated US interest rates led some companies to delay dollar borrowing or shift to local-currency funding. Over the same period, G3 bond issuance jumped 27% to a four-year

Hong Kong investment volumes rose 12% to HKD39bn (USD5.0bn) in 2025, with momentum accelerating in the fourth quarter as pricing turned more attractive, property consultancy Colliers said. Fourth-quarter transaction volumes surged 65% from the previous quarter, supported by three US Federal Reserve rate cuts totalling 0.75 percentage points and positive wealth effects from gains in the Hang Seng Index. Large transactions dominated activity, with 85 deals above HKD100m, mainly

Vietnam’s 2026 growth outlook will hinge on a recovery in domestic consumption, effective policy execution and sustained public investment, analysts said. Nguyen Xuan Thanh of the Fulbright School said household spending remains the biggest uncertainty, although industrial-zone employment is improving and tourism-related services are rebounding. A stronger social safety net and concrete reforms could help restore confidence, he said. Vietnam public investment will remain a ke

Thailand has indicted members of the Phornprapha family in a high-profile Thailand stock manipulation case involving More Return Plc. Prosecutors said Akapat “Kim” Phornprapha, Athipat Phornprapha and Orapin Phornprapha were charged over alleged coordinated trading that distorted MORE’s share price and volume between July and November 2022. The court denied bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations, estimated investor losses of THB4.5bn (USD127m) and flight risk after t

Singapore has defended the performance of its sovereign wealth funds, saying Singapore sovereign wealth fund returns from GIC and Temasek are reasonable and within expectations despite criticism. Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow told parliament that comparisons with global peers should account for different mandates and risk profiles, with Singapore prioritising long-term results over short-term swings. He said GIC’s risk-moderation measures ahead of potentia

Taiwan has ended its longest-ever market-support operation after the Taiwan stabilization fund intervention concluded, citing improved trading conditions and restored investor confidence. The Taiwan stabilization fund intervention deployed a cumulative NTD12.25bn (USD387m) since April 9, 2025, generating a return rate of 52.56% and an unrealised profit of NTD6.44bn as of last month, its executive committee said. The 279-day programme was launched to stabilise markets amid glo

South Korea FX market reform is set to accelerate after authorities said the country will open its onshore foreign-exchange market to 24-hour trading from July, loosening long-standing restrictions as it seeks an upgrade to developed-market status from MSCI. Since the late-1990s Asian Financial Crisis, South Korea has maintained tight currency controls, with MSCI citing limited FX market access as a key obstacle to reclassification. Vice Finance Minister Lee Hyoung-il said of

China offshore income tax enforcement is being stepped up as authorities seek to shore up strained public finances by targeting undeclared overseas income, Bloomberg News reported. Tax officials in multiple cities have contacted individuals identified through “big data” analysis and asked them to self-declare offshore income for 2022–2024, calculating back taxes typically at a 20% rate on capital gains and dividends, plus late-payment charges. A new rule due in March would al

Vietnam’s central city of Da Nang is positioning itself as a new regional finance hub after granting membership certificates to 16 organisations and financial institutions for its planned international financial centre. City authorities also issued letters of interest to three commercial banks and an international holding group, and approved investment proposals worth VND37.8tr (USD1.5bn), local media reported. The announcements were made at an investment promotion event link

Vietnam firms face rising delisting risk as concentrated ownership squeezes out minority investors, raising governance concerns. State-controlled PV Gas said it no longer qualifies as a public company after parent PetroVietnam held 95.76% of voting shares, breaching free-float rules. Similar ownership structures exist at PetroVietNam Low Pressure Gas Distribution, Vinacomin and other large firms. Under Vietnam’s securities law, prolonged non-compliance can trigger revocation

Japan plans to establish by year-end a cross-ministerial body modelled on the US foreign investment watchdog CFIUS, strengthening Japan foreign investment screening to address national security risks linked to inbound capital, the government said. A bill to revise the foreign exchange law will be submitted when parliament’s ordinary session opens on Jan. 23, enabling the framework’s creation, officials said. The finance ministry will seek to double staff involved in Japan for

Hong Kong financial regulation reputation will be a key draw for global investors as the city navigates uncertainty and shifting asset allocations, Financial Services and the Treasury Secretary Christopher Hui Ching-yu said. Hui said Hong Kong must upgrade infrastructure and develop new growth engines to keep investors relying on the city across market cycles. He said the government will trial a central clearing system for gold in 2026, seek cooperation with Shanghai to boost

China banks Venezuela exposure is under closer scrutiny after the country’s financial regulator asked policy banks and major lenders to disclose lending ties and strengthen monitoring of Venezuela-related credit, Bloomberg reported. The National Financial Regulatory Administration move follows the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and reflects concern that geopolitical risks could spill into China’s banking system. China has extended billions of dollars to Ven

Thailand 2026 economic outlook is clouded as growth is forecast at about 1.5%, prompting businesses to brace for headwinds ahead of a Feb 8 general election, executives and industry groups said. Banks, automakers and property developers cited weak demand, high household debt and policy uncertainty. The Thai Bankers’ Association said more frequent natural disasters are adding operational and credit risks, forcing lenders to factor climate events into risk management. Toyota Mo

China macro policy 2026 will become more proactive as Beijing seeks to support long-term growth following a late-2025 slowdown, President Xi Jinping said. Under the China macro policy 2026 push, authorities expect the economy to meet the 2025 growth target of around 5%, with output reaching about RMB140tr (USD20tr). Officials have leaned on fiscal support, including RMB62.5bn for consumer trade-in subsidies and early 2026 investment plans totalling RMB295bn, as part of effort